Laura Hoffner: From Naval Intelligence to Executive Leadership at Concentric

A Lifelong Ambition in Intelligence

• 🎯 Laura Hoffner set a highly specific goal in seventh grade: to become a Naval Intelligence Officer supporting SEAL teams.
• 🗺️ This ambition was fueled by her grandfather's Navy service, a desire to travel, and an obsession with learning languages and cultures.
• 🗣️ She specialized in understanding human behavior in crisis situations and honed her language skills, minoring in Chinese and Spanish, and studying abroad.

Transitioning to Civilian Leadership

• 🎓 After graduating with a degree in Communication Science with a specialization in hostage negotiation, Hoffner attended Officer Candidate School and was accepted into naval intelligence.
• ✈️ Her early career included deployments to Afghanistan, tours in Washington D.C. at the Office of Naval Intelligence, and service with SEAL Team 7.
• 🌍 A significant portion of her active duty was spent in Germany, allowing her to travel and work in approximately 57 countries.
• ⚓ Hoffner concluded her active duty in 2020 after a final tour supporting SEAL Teams, a role she considered the culmination of her intelligence career.

Career at Concentric

• 🤝 Hoffner transitioned to the civilian sector, joining Concentric, where she was initially hired as an executive assistant and quickly moved to Chief of Staff.
• 🚀 This role mirrored her intelligence work, requiring her to manage diverse tasks, build relationships, and understand strategic intent.
• 📈 She has since been promoted to Executive Vice President of Risk Solutions, continuing to expand her responsibilities within the company.
• 🌟 She credits her success to the unbelievable mentors at Concentric and the lessons learned from her military experience.

Advice for Setting High Goals

• 💡 Hoffner advises others to set their sights high and remain unwavering in pursuing their goals, even if they seem unconventional.
• 🚀 She emphasizes that even if the ultimate goal isn't fully achieved, the pursuit itself sets one up for significant success.
• 🎓 She also reflects on her own college experience, suggesting that while focused on her goals, she missed out on enjoying the broader college experience.